AAPOR's 2012 Conference: Substance, Networking and Fun

By Dan Merkle, Conference Chair

We’re putting the finishing touches on AAPOR’s 67th Annual Conference, which will be held May 17-20, 2012, at the JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes in Orlando. Join us for the strong conference program, networking, socializing and fun.

Interest in this year’s conference appears to be high, and we’re on track for very strong attendance. Through early April, conference registrations have been trending a bit higher than the previous two years, which were the two most attended conferences in AAPOR history. A record number of paper proposals were submitted in response to this year’s call for papers, and more than 500 of them are included in the program.

Substance

Highlights of the conference program include:

• A number of paper sessions focusing on this year’s conference theme: “Evaluating New Frontiers in Public Opinion and Social Research.” These include sessions on using interactive and gaming techniques to improve surveys, advances in Web surveys, innovations in the use of mobile devices in survey research and using social media to measure public opinion and behavior.
• The plenary session, “Examining the Value of Non-Probability Sampling in Social Research,” featuring a distinguished panel of experts. Douglas Rivers and George Terhanian will present the case for the value of non-probability sampling. Robert Groves and Elizabeth Stasny will serve as the discussants. The session will be moderated by Nancy Mathiowetz.
• Six stellar short courses taught by top-notch instructors: “Single and Multi-Mode Surveys Using Address-Based Sampling” (Colm O’Muircheartaigh and Ned English), “Unlocking the Potential of Conjoint Analysis/Discrete Choice Modeling and MaxDiff Scaling in Public Opinion Research” (Joseph Curry), “Maximizing the Accuracy of Online Surveys: Comparisons of Methods and Recommendations of Optimal Procedures” (Jon Krosnick), “Improving Surveys with Paradata: Making Use of Process Information” (Frauke Kreuter), “Designing Web Questionnaires” (Mick Couper), “The Role of New Technologies in Powering, Augmenting, or Replacing Traditional Surveys” (Michael Link and Trent Buskirk).
• Demonstration sessions where innovative data collection technologies and tools will be discussed, including the use of wearable sensors to measure behavior, social media monitoring and assessment techniques, a multi-platform mobile survey application, conducting intercept surveys on cell-enabled iPads and more.
• A panel devoted to career and professional development for those who have considered changing between industry sectors (academic, commercial, government, not-for-profit and self-employed/independent).  The session will feature Michael Link as moderator and a panel of four experienced speakers who have made multiple transitions between sectors: Paul J. Lavrakas, Gillian SteelFisher, Ali Mokdad and John Thompson. 
• A panel featuring AAPOR Past Presidents discussing the challenges and opportunities facing the public opinion and survey research profession given the continued proliferation of new communication media and technologies. The speakers will be AAPOR Past Presidents Nancy Belden, Rob Daves, Murray Edelman, Peter Miller, Mark Schulman and Cliff Zukin.
• Numerous other panel sessions on a diverse range of topics of interest to our profession including substantive studies of public opinion on social, economic and political issues, political polling and elections, cross-national and comparative research, the impact of the media, and methodological research on cell phones, address-based sampling, questionnaire design, nonresponse, sampling, weighting, Web surveys, mixed-mode data collection and other methodological issues.

Networking and Conference Activities

The conference will also provide ample opportunity for networking and mingling:

• Two speed networking sessions
• An outstanding exhibit hall that will include demonstration sessions, poster presentations, “Meet the Author” sessions, the book exhibit and a diverse range of exhibitors and vendors. 
• The AAPOR Golf Outing, Fun Run/Walk and Applied Probability.
• The Post-Banquet Party will feature live acoustic entertainment and complimentary mojitos.
• The Docent Program for first-time attendees.  In addition, the Membership and Chapter Relations Committee (MCR) will be repeating last year’s successful passport program, which encourages new members to visit the AAPOR booth and connect with their AAPOR docent, MCR committee members and members of the Executive Council.  Those who turn in a completed passport will be eligible to win an Amazon Kindle Fire! The MCR is also planning some special events to connect AAPOR student members with one another.

Fun in Orlando

This is a great year to bring your family along for a vacation. Orlando is home to many wonderful attractions, and the JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes is a beautiful hotel with activities for the entire family.

• Orlando is known for some of the best entertainment and themed attractions in the world, including Sea World, Universal Studios, and Walt Disney World. Tickets to local attractions can be purchased here www.localexpert.com/aapor-2012 and will also be sold on site at the conference. The conference hotel is about 10 miles from Walt Disney World and Universal Studios and two miles from Sea World.
• The JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes, set on over 500 tropical acres, boasts a variety of family-friendly amenities including a winding lazy river pool, outdoor heated pools and whirlpools, outdoor play areas with croquet, bocce ball, sand volleyball, a life-size chess board, lighted tennis courts, jogging trails and a fitness center.

See you in Orlando!